1 Cor 9
24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
Where are you running? When are you hunting treasure, HOW are you hunting the treasure that is Jesus Christ? You have to answer that. Whether that is this Bible reading plan, or you want to find some place to dive deep into Biblical community, you have got to have a plan. Otherwise you are running aimlessly. Forget whats behind , let God redeem it. What you do have is today. And today is absolutely shaping you tomorrow. You are cultivating the you of 2012 this year. Some of you have been stuck in the same goofy cycle for decades. Are you running aimlessly or do you have your path? Paul has this great analogy about boxing the air. Do you know where you are weak, and do you know where you need to fight and engage? I’ll throw out a couple: Is your marriage a train wreck? That might be a place to fight. That might be a place to really put some work in this year, and to really diligently try to find all the joy of Jesus Christ and His grace in your marriage. Maybe you have a lust issue, that’s something that needs to be subdued and fought and defeated by the grace and mercy of God. And we can go on and on here. But where is the fight this year for you? I think if we go, “I want to hunger after God. I want to follow after God, I want to know Him more deeply, follow His grace, really be compelled by His mercy this year", then I think you need to think through are you forgetting what is behind and how are you straining for what is ahead? Now ultimately this is what is ahead: you and me dead and standing in front of Him. Some of you just saw your last Christmas. I’m not fear mongering you, I’m telling you that’s reality. Some of you just opened your last set of Christmas presents. What’s ahead for you is a face to face meeting with your Maker. Now, two things: there’s plenty of reason to be terrified about that and there’s plenty of good reasons not to be. It’s this really beautiful mixture of joy and fear. Where we plead the blood of Christ. Can we be confident in that? Absolutely. Why? Because we have not pursued righteousness that is our own by the law but righteousness that comes by faith in what God has done for us in Christ Jesus. Isn’t that the word of Paul? That is my hope and prayer for you going into 2011.
Matt Chandler
listen to the whole sermon here
1 comment:
Wow, Carole! Thanks so much for sharing that. I've never really thought about how aimlessly I am running the race.
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